An ever-increasing number of complex processes in various industries are monitored or regulated by one or more electronic devices. This is particularly true in processes which use complex pressurized systems because the current trend is to convert line pressure at various locations into proportional voltages or currents. Typically, a conversion from pressure into an equivalent voltage or current utilizes a diaphragm which moves in accordance with the line pressure exerted against it, as set forth in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,199. The diaphragm actuates an electrical device which provides a voltage or current proportional to the pressure. The voltage or current so developed is typically so small that amplification is required. The circuit for providing this amplification along with the pressure transducer itself may be mounted on a printed circuit board.
Since the pressure may have to be regulated or monitored at a plurality of points in a plant, a corresponding number of pressure transducers mounted on printed circuit boards will be required. This suggests that a rack would be a convenient way to hold the printed circuit boards together for connection into an electrical network.
It is desirable for the printed circuit board to be easily and removably mounted on the rack for service or replacement. To do this, the printed circuit boards may be provided with male connector portions formed thereon while one or more female connector portions may be mounted on the rack to receive the male connector portions on the board. In this way, when the boards are inserted in the rack the male connector portions penetrate the female connector portions to make the required electrical connections.
However, difficulties can arise if the male connector portion on the printed circuit board is not aligned properly with the female connector portion because the printed circuit board and the electrical connector could be damaged. Further, if the male connector portion is not inserted far enough inside the female connector portion, the resulting electrical connection may be faulty. In addition, if the male connector portion is inserted in the female connector portion too forcibly in an effort to achieve sufficient penetration, this could damage both the male connector portion and the female connector portion.
What is needed therefore, and comprises an important object of this invention, is to provide a rack having a plurality of female connector portions mounted thereon, and guideways sized to receive the edges of printed circuit boards to hold the printed circuit boards on the rack in spaced relation to each other and on the rack in such a way that the male connector formed on each printed circuit board is aligned with a female connector portion on the rack so the male connector portions can penetrate the female connectors without damage.
A further object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for regulating the penetration of the male connector portion to the printed circuit board into the female connector portion.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide means for releasably locking a printed circuit board onto a rack.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a rack having a plurality of tubular connectors formed thereon wherein each tubular connector is adapted to be connected to a pressurized line and where the rack is provided with a plurality of electrical connectors for receiving a printed circuit board which has an integrally formed male connector portion thereon.